Mumford & Sons is a British folk rock band formed in 2007. The band’s sound often incorporates rich vocal harmonies and introspective lyrics that explore themes of love, faith, and personal reflection. Throughout their career, Mumford & Sons have toured widely, performing at major music festivals and headlining their own sold-out shows worldwide. They are known for their energetic live performances and the ability to captivate audiences with their passionate and anthemic songs.
On the third evening of Lollapalooza, the festival satiety was clearly in the air. The fashionable sneakers got muddy, the bursting blisters were in place, the gastronomic picnics on the grass already happened and the uncountable live pictures were taken. Even the most in-demand experience, the Barbie rollerblades, had fewer people queuing for it!
Nevertheless, Mumford & Sons were set to impress with The Last Performance and leave a warm aftertaste of the summer’s biggest music event in Stockholm.
Having a full-length concert of 1.5 hours, the band maintained a slow pace and kept it simple until the very last minute. Everything in their looks hinted towards the unpretentious spirit of the show: the exemplary hipster outfits, lack of shoutouts to hype up the sleepy crowd and the synchronised solos played in silos.
The simplicity was also reflected in the pretty standard lighting choice, despite the darkest hour of the night that could be perfectly used for an imposing light show. While the true fans were glued to the stage, numerous festival lovers were leaving throughout the concert to avoid the crowded public transport and get to stretch their legs in the welcoming beds as soon as possible.
Some might be confused about why the casual Londoners who pretend to be Irish are saying the last words at this musical feast instead of the more canonical mainstream superstars such as Lil Nas X or Zara Larsson. Despite all the could-have-beens of the popular headliner’s set closing the festival, I really appreciate Mumford & Sons staying true to themselves and not trading their consistent style for the flashiness of the moment.
The clue of this great pairing lies in their equally effortless and effective approach to creating good vibrations. While the listeners were skimming through Lolla’s closing credits and making mental notes for the next summer, Marcus Mumford’s bubbly personality came through and captivated their attention. The lead singer turned on the natural charm and caused many smiles in the audience with his childish fascination with vikings and their helmets available for a try-out in a local museum. The peak of the cosiness came while singing in a close-knit circle under the unspoken agreement of the audience to “shut the fuck up” on Mumford’s request.
To wind up the flow of music, the audience that could still proudly proclaim “I Will Wait” until the end, got animated by the folk motives of the last song and defiantly parroted the Irish-like hops.
And as the lights went off, the happily tired crowd embraced the feeling of Swedish “togetherness” and started the night’s march home humming their favourite songs.
Photos courtesy of the festival, photographers Pao Duell and Emil Daniel
